The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus and method, such as an electronic album system, which output digital images, e.g., photographs, graphic patterns, and characters, upon laying out them in a desired form.
In a conventional system, when, for example, image layout/edit processing is to be performed on a computer, the operator prepares a slot for the insertion of an image on a page displayed on the screen first, and then flows the image into the slot. When layout/edit processing is to be performed for a plurality of images, the operator arranges a plurality of slots and determines the positions and sizes of the slots by skillfully operating a mouse and a keyboard.
In the above conventional system, however, the operator must adjust the positions and sizes of the slots by operating the mouse and the keyboard while visually checking them so as to neatly arrange the images within the page. This requires cumbersome operations and advanced skills.
The present invention has been made to solve these problems posed in the above conventional technique, and has as an object to provide an image layout apparatus and method, in an image editing apparatus for laying out images input by an image input means or the like, which can neatly and easily lay out images within a page.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image editing apparatus for laying out images input by an image input means or the like, which can attractively lay out images without complicating the operation performed by an operator and producing any monotonous layout result.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus for laying out images input by image input means, comprising layout means for laying out a plurality of images in one page, and evaluation means for evaluating the layout result obtained by the layout means.
In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus for laying out images input by image input means, comprising effect designation means for designating an arbitrary effect from at least one effect registered in advance, condition setting means for automatically setting a layout condition for the images on the basis of the effect designated by the effect designation means, and layout means for laying out the images on the basis of the layout condition set by the condition setting means.